Developments in Abilene, Texas

Within the last few years, Abilene, Texas, has steadily become the retail, residential, business, medical, and overall center of the surrounding Big Country. Commercial development was especially boosted in 2007, with several multimillion dollar projects throughout the entire city. Most of the recent development is concentrated in roughly four areas in Abilene: Southwest Drive, Catclaw Drive, and Buffalo Gap Road near the Winters Freeway to the southwest, as this area becomes a strong commercial sector as well as a good residential district; Buffalo Gap Road, Beltway South, and US Highway 83/84 near and beyond the outskirts of the city in the south with several housing developments; Loop 322 area and Oldham Ln to the southeast, also near and past the edge of the city with a mix of several residential subdivisions as well as the start of commercial growth; and State Highway 351/Ambler Avenue near Interstate 20 to the northeast, also a combination of staple retail development, similar to the southwest commercial development, and the beginnings of residential growth with a new apartment complex and growing subdivisions. All this growth has contributed to the suburbanization of the city; however, as Abilene is not a large city itself, this is also helped the urbanization of the city as a whole. More people in the city leads to more workers and commuters in a city that has a short commute time throughout the city.

Much of Abilene's commercial and retail growth is concentrated in two opposite areas of the city. In the southwest area of the city, along and near Southwest Drive, Ridgemont Drive, and Buffalo Gap Road, several new retailers and businesses have brought new names to Abilene as this area continues to attract many to new shops, hotels, and restaurants. In addition, even some new residential projects have sprouted throughout the southwest side of the city, many of which are within blocks of Rebecca Lane.

Construction on several arterial and connective streets is indicative of the area's strong commercial growth. Southwest Drive was widened from 2 lanes each direction (plus central left-turn lane) to 3 lanes each direction, totaling 7 lanes from Catclaw Drive to S. Clack Street and 6 lanes under the Winters Freeway. This project was completed in late 2008. Also, Catclaw Drive was reconstructed and reconfigured to create 2 northbound lanes, 1 southbound lane, and 1 shared left-turn lane. The frontage roads of the Winters Freeway, S. Clack Street and S. Danville Drive, were reconstructed from S. 14th St to the US 83/84 & Loop 322 interchange, with restriping and minor widening done between Southwest Drive and Buffalo Gap Road from 2 lanes each to 3 lanes each.

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